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How do you feel about rail staff travel

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BluePenguin

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Lonely Hearts ad:

Single F, non-driver, own house, WLTM railwayman for co-habitation, travel. NR/FOC need not apply unless ex-BR.
Anyone want to open a Rail Forums dating agency? Priv required, other benefits on offer in exchange

I thought there had to be a meaningful relationship, unless this has changed recently? It is TfL nominee passes where it is simply someone living at the same address.
Maybe so, although how do you define a meaningful relationship? Some people may interpret this as marriage. For others, this could mean a colleague, neighbour, best friend or a long-standing close friend from childhood. Relationships are complicated. Some people of the introverted nature intentionally prefer to be single.

Strictly speaking, with monogamy on the decline these days, this rule is not cut out for the modern age of the dating world in my opinion. I believe that someone should be able to share their travel facilities with whoever they wish. A carer, friend, wife, boyfriend, cleaner or anyone else in their social circle.
 
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221129

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Lonely Hearts ad:

Single F, non-driver, own house, WLTM railwayman for co-habitation, travel. NR/FOC need not apply unless ex-BR.
I mean you say that now, I'm aware of a few people that have basically done just that.

Maybe so, although how do you define a meaningful relationship?
RSTL interpret this as partners living at the same single address. You need to provide a statutory declaration with evidence to apply for the partners passes. Obviously lying on a Stat Dec would be a bad idea if you value your job and freedom.
 
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T-Karmel

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I believe that someone should be able to share their travel facilities with whoever they wish. A carer, friend, wife, boyfriend, cleaner or anyone else in their social circle.
You can, however, make PRIV for housekeeper if you do not make one for a partner.
 

BluePenguin

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Which has so many rules around it that it is next to impossible to do.
I would have thought an au pair would count at the very least.

With respect to Middle England, those who can afford a housekeeper probably do not need a priv. If anything they are happy to pay full fare First Class
 

221129

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I would have thought an au pair would count at the very least.

With respect to Middle England, those who can afford a housekeeper probably do not need a priv. If anything they are happy to pay full fare First Class
Possibly but not guaranteed. The House Keeper application is also at the sole discretion of RSTL who don't have to allow it.
 

12hours

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I'm wondering what people think about the current staff travel privileges available for railway staff?

Many think we should have free travel on everything, no time limits or restrictions, no boxes or anything. It could also be argued that it is unfair for ex-BR and retired staff to have unlimited free travel boxes, but the luxury not extended to post-BR staff.
On the other hand you wouldn't expect a person who works at M&S to get free shopping or even discounts at Sainsburys or Aldi... The railway they say is one big family and so free travel privileges need to reflect this across all TOCs and regions (tough luck to jobsworth guards who refuse free travel for workers of different TOCs), but on the flip side it is in debt and needs all the revenue it can obtain to make up the deficit.

Is the current situation about right; should it be made more lenient; or is it already too generous and in need of overhaul not in the railway employee's favour
I'm wondering what people think about the current staff travel privileges available for railway staff?

Many think we should have free travel on everything, no time limits or restrictions, no boxes or anything. It could also be argued that it is unfair for ex-BR and retired staff to have unlimited free travel boxes, but the luxury not extended to post-BR staff.
On the other hand you wouldn't expect a person who works at M&S to get free shopping or even discounts at Sainsburys or Aldi... The railway they say is one big family and so free travel privileges need to reflect this across all TOCs and regions (tough luck to jobsworth guards who refuse free travel for workers of different TOCs), but on the flip side it is in debt and needs all the revenue it can obtain to make up the deficit.

Is the current situation about right; should it be made more lenient; or is it already too generous and in need of overhaul not in the railway employee's favour?
as a retired member with staff travel, I wonder what people’s thoughts are towards buying our passes back, after all they are ours by right , set in stone, I admit it’s my fault I choose not to use it,

Everyone, regardless of seniority, boil in the bags, newbies, 50 year men who started as coal slingers on footplates, "I worked for BR for 6 weeks in the nineties", post 1996 TOCNE, no matter who .... ALL should get the same travel benefits, and ALL should get the same retirement travel benefits.. either all or nothing.

The current differential should be challenged in court and have it declared unlawful.

As for someone's analogy about Marks and Spencer giving away free food, I seriously doubt that any firm in the stingey retail sector would even give away a carrier bag, let alone any contents to go in it.
Sir, I get free travel because when I entered service my weekly take home pay was £40.00, not the £2700.00 a month of today, also I hear junior men with little service arguing that they should get free travel as part of the next pay rise , we’ll ok then but what do people who get free travel get ???
 
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RJ

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Entering into a relationship just to get a Priv :lol::lol::lol:

The value of the Priv varies between people - I get about £300 a month value out of it. Now there are ways to generate 50x that from the comfort of your own home. It’s not even a reason to consider any kind of relationship o_O
 

185

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Many of us started on terrible wages AFTER British Rail. Please tell me how to apply for this £2700, by the way.

Perhaps our generation of railway worker will ensure and fight for the same or better conditions for the next and not sell it down the road like the last lot.

£2700? I'm ringing HR, I've been diddled :lol:
 

BluePenguin

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Entering into a relationship just to get a Priv :lol::lol::lol:

The value of the Priv varies between people - I get about £300 a month value out of it. Now there are ways to generate 50x that from the comfort of your own home. It’s not even a reason to consider any kind of relationship o_O
You may laugh but those of us who do not drive and/or enjoy travelling on the train regularly, it is not a bad arrangement. Somebody upthread posted an anecdote of a wife of not letting her husband retire so that she could keep his TFL nominee pass.

Some people might be able to get thousands of pounds worth of value out of a priv each year.

How would you generate that sort of money from home then? I’m curious!
 

AndrewE

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You may laugh but those of us who do not drive and/or enjoy travelling on the train regularly, it is not a bad arrangement. Somebody upthread posted an anecdote of a wife of not letting her husband retire so that she could keep his TFL nominee pass.

Some people might be able to get thousands of pounds worth of value out of a priv each year.

How would you generate that sort of money from home then? I’m curious!
It works the other way too. A former colleague who lost his privs when he left our "railway" employer cannot take his (decades-long) relationship with his ladyfriend any further because she refuses to re-marry as it would mean her losing her widow's travel concessions.

Some people have different priorities though: another close friend of ours (female and widowed) eventually decided that she would forego the NHS widow's pension she was receiving as she wanted to tie the knot with the gentleman she became attached to.
 

Haywain

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Sir, I get free travel because when I entered service my weekly take home pay was £40.00, not the £2700.00 a month of today, also I hear junior men with little service arguing that they should get free travel as part of the next pay rise , we’ll ok then but what do people who get free travel get ???
Welcome to the forum. Sorry to disappoint you, but your free travel is nothing to do with your wage when you started. It's to do with that in 1996 you were working for the dying embers of British Rail or had already retired. Similarly, the existence of travel benefits for today's staff are not related to earnings - whether £2700 a month or more, or less. Terms like "junior men with little service" is a rather condescending phrase to use, which suggests you don't go in much for the idea of people being treated equally though, so if they get more why would you expect more at the same time?
 

bramling

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You may laugh but those of us who do not drive and/or enjoy travelling on the train regularly, it is not a bad arrangement. Somebody upthread posted an anecdote of a wife of not letting her husband retire so that she could keep his TFL nominee pass.

Some people might be able to get thousands of pounds worth of value out of a priv each year.

How would you generate that sort of money from home then? I’m curious!

In the example I gave with the TfL nominee pass, someone living in outer London and working in the centre (I believe this was exactly the arrangement), the value of such a pass would be something in the region of £3k. For someone earning even average income this is still quite significant.
 

RJ

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You may laugh but those of us who do not drive and/or enjoy travelling on the train regularly, it is not a bad arrangement. Somebody upthread posted an anecdote of a wife of not letting her husband retire so that she could keep his TFL nominee pass.

Some people might be able to get thousands of pounds worth of value out of a priv each year.

How would you generate that sort of money from home then? I’m curious!

I’m not disputing that the Priv has some monetary value. Each to their own I suppose. I prefer to give up a small amount of my time and have it in my own right.

There are innumerable ways to generate money from home - you could do arbitrage, trading, carry out consulting work, offer IT services, be a pro-Youtuber, set up an OnlyFans etc.! Some routes work for some and others work for others so it’s a case of setting something suitable up and keeping it going.
 

Egg Centric

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There are innumerable ways to generate money from home - you could ... set up an OnlyFans

While I have not been to a forum meetup yet, unless the average member is completely different to how I imagine them, I doubt OnlyFans is going to be especially lucrative.

No, for me I'm definitely sending the wife down the mines ticket office a few hours a week
 

BluePenguin

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While I have not been to a forum meetup yet, unless the average member is completely different to how I imagine them, I doubt OnlyFans is going to be especially lucrative.

No, for me I'm definitely sending the wife down the mines ticket office a few hours a week
Well, the demographic for this sort of entertainment is very varied. There is more to the OnlyFans industry than simply pretty girls. It is very popular with young people both male and female. You only have to look at Twitter to realise the sheer number of categories.

People are into typically non-sexual stuff too. Uniforms, food, progress videos, people walking on top of shoes etc. I know a few railway enthusiasts with quite a following, although none would make it onto the cover of vogue. Some people are making big money uploading videos of themselves brushing their teeth or walking around in trainers.

Not everyone into trains these days has a beard, glasses and a beer belly. Most from this generation are slim English males with cameras. Similarly, it’s difficult at first to tell someone sexuality, food interests or intelligence unless you use stereotypes to judge them at a glance.

Back to the real world, there are lots of good employment opportunities on the railway! Much better to get a priv with pride and dignity. You should definitely come to a forum meet up, some of us may not appear how you imagine us to, good or bad
 

BluePenguin

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I do though :(

Every intention of coming to a forum meetup once they start again! And a fares workshop - perhaps then I won't need a priv...
You can only be yourself. No need to shave your beard or lose weight just because of what other people think.

A fares workshop might be a good shout, although 75% off those secret fares once discovered would still be the dream
 

Argyle 1980

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In BR times when all rail staff had boxes far more revenue staff were vigilant in checking for alterations & I heard some were routinely scanned after being exchanged for next years boxes but never found out if that was true
I knew of instances where P&O staff who only got a couple of boxes would routinely glue/magic pencil the boxes to run them pretty much indefinitely. I even knew of atleast two individuals who successfully claimed a replacement pass from Channel House a fair few times and declared no boxes on the lost pass had been use so they were issued a new clean replacement.
I personally never abused mine, I had a decent number of boxes as my partner was long time employed by P&O and previously Stena, and I worked for Hoverspeed Falcon so got GNER free anyway so I had no reason to abuse it anyway.
The only time I was ever slightly tempted to pencil a box was when Virgin got funny with me at Glasgow over 20 years ago.
I had my white Hoverspeed staff pass and was planning to get the GNER for free back to KX and in the wake of the Hatfield derailment GNER was completely disrupted so there was mutual ticket acceptance in place with Virgin, however they refused to accept my staff pass that normally allowed me to travel with GNER for free, so I was made to use a box. I had 4 boxes left and only two months until expiry so I just took it on chin and wrote the matter off.

I can completely understand why non safeguarded staff get peeved off with absuse of boxes ect.
 
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Bill EWS

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Yes it’s all official & in the news items of rail staff travel on the RDG website. No need to use this years until 1st Oct. it’s apparently all over fares briefings too for retail staff.
Thanks, DK1. I appreciate your response.
 

dk1

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Thanks, DK1. I appreciate your response.
Pleasure my friend. Here it is in B&W. Sorry about the quality. Took them in a rush.
 

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tiptoptaff

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It was tried on the Caley sleeper to make online priv tickets available but the process was very quickly abused and subsequently withdrawn so I can't see any progress ever being made on the subject.

That was because they made the discount available by entering a generic discount code. Which couldn't possibly have gone wrong...

An alternative less susceptible to fraud would be to ask for the Priv number, with RSTL giving CS a list of valid Priv numbers, or read-only access to part of their database.

If the number were leaked and misused, it would be trivial to find the member of staff responsible and to block the number (and withdraw their Priv).

I'm of the understanding that the people who used the discount without being entitled to it were permitted to travel on those tickets. Being required to pay the fare or spend the night on the platform then pay the fare on the next train would probably focus the minds of people who tried it on! The times I've boarded the sleeper in the Highlands, the staff have checked my tickets before letting me board so it wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary.

If people want a Priv they can try doing what I did and find gainful employment on a part time basis on the railways or one of the other entities that offers it! Given there are other people who do this, I don't agree with people who go down the road of fraud or out and out evasion just because of the market prices.


To be honest you don't even need to be a fare evader to have any or all of those things thrown at you. You just need to have a valid ticket the checker isn't familiar with and stand your ground. Then the whole system is vulnerable to being totally undermined!

Picked a random few to quote and I know it's off topic, but...


The issue with the CS priv thing wasn't so much that people were getting tickets with the priv code on and being allowed to travel (although I don't doubt that happened, however in my personal experience both Mrs TTT and I were both asked to produce out PRIV cards when we presented our tickets to the steward on boarding at Euston) it was that it was hidden by any other code.

For example, if you had any other form of railcard, even if it didn't discount the ticket in any way, it was that code that would print on the ticket, not PRV. So someone holding say a senior railcard could use the priv code, then select they have a senior railcard and the ticket would discount to the priv rate, and I believe in some cases, it would apply the railcard discount on top, and the ticket would print with SNR. This would be presented alongside ticket, and the staff nonethewiser
 

221129

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however in my personal experience both Mrs TTT and I were both asked to produce out PRIV cards
In the 25 or so trips with CS in the last 4 years, I have NEVER once been asked. But yes, there were various other issues with Online PRIV on CS.
 
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